Step construction for ladders



Dec. 29, 1931.

A. J. TINGLx-:AF 1,838,796

STEP CONSTRUCTION FOB LADDERS 4 Filed Sept. 25, 1929 Fis. 2

Inverd'or Alberi J. Tingleorf` Alk/U AH'orneys ,ALBERT J'. TINGLEAF,

vPatented Dec. 29, 1931 or RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, AssIeNoE F ONE-HALF w.MITCHELL, Vor RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA fro cAELos STEP CONSTRUCTION FORLADDERS Application led September 25, 1929. Serial No. 395,115.

My invention pertains to a step construction for stepladders, having todo particul larly with the support ofthe step and the binding of thestep to the side pieces of the ladder. Y

An object .of my invention is a constructiony by which the rung or steplof a ladder is drawn tight by a tension device against the `Side piecesof the ladderkand at the' same time a brace is carried from the stepdiego# nally to the side pieces of the ladder, the tension device andthe diagonal brace operating together to form a type offbraclietconnecting underside of the step,

Another object of my invention is a ladder having flat steps, comprisingutilizing a ten- 'sion device which exerts av pull longitudinally on thestep, drawing the end of` the step into close Contact with the sidepieces and at the same time using a plurality of similar diagonal strutsor braces which are somewhat triangular in form and give a support Vtothe bottom of the step and carry the weight borne by the stepdiagonallyto the side pieces. In

constructing a stepladder in accordance with my invention I preferablyuse flat side pieces and flat steps. Boltshaving a hook or an eye areutilized to engage a second bolt passing through the step andI draw theend of the step into close contact with the side pieces of the ladder.Sheet metal brackets triangular in shape, are utilized underneath thestep engaging the second bolt on the step and being themselves attachedto a bolt through.; the

'side piecebelow the step. This forms a species of triangular brace orVbracket and in which I `prefer to' utilize a plurality of bracketsjoined bya common bolt through the side piece below the step.

A' further detail feature of my invention therefore comprises a stepconstruction for laddersV having a flat step lwith two boltstherethrough secured to the upper end of two triangular sheet metalbrackets. Each of these bolts is caught in a'bolt having a hook or aneye shape and drawing the end of the Vstep tight Aagainst the sidepiece.v The two metal brackets are flanged and preferably madesimilarand in lefts and rights; the

stepladder;

lower ends being connected by .a common bolt which passes through theside piece of the step.

My invention is illustrated panying drawings, in which,-

Fig.l 1 is a perspective view of part of the in the accom- Fig. 2. is a`vertical section through .a step of the lladder viewed in the directionof the Varrow2 of` Fig. 1, showingV the brace brackets in edgeelevation;

Fig.y 3 is an elevation taken in the direction yof the arrow 3 of Fig.2; the inside surface of the side pieces and the Fig. iis a perspectiveinside view of .one of the sheet metal triangular brackets;

Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview lof a hookshaped bolt; v v Figs. 6 and 7 are.face views of the straps engaging the heads of the bolts.

In the illustration the side pieces of theV ladderv are designated bythe numeral 11 and the steps by the numeral 12. The side pieces do nothave any. material cut out therefrom excepting the bored holes toVaccommodate the bolts and the ends of the steps as indicated at 13 havea butt joint with the side rails of the ladder. The stepsare providedwith two bored holes 14 through which are inserted the bolts 15, theheads ofthese bolts bearing on thewasher plate 16. Such bolts extendcompletely through the step.

Vthe edge 25 of the web and this end is provided with a bolt hole 26.VThe upper end of the flange is bent substantially horizontally asindicated at 27 and has a bolt hole 28. The upper portion of the web isbent in a partial circle as indicated at 29 and is adapted to extendover the top of the tension bolt 17. The

CTI

bolts pass through the opening 28 in the end 27 of the flange andthrough the bolt hole 26 I utilize bolts 30. The heads 31 of the boltsbear on the outside of the side rails of the ladder.

The braces are placed on the ladder so that the edge bears against theinside surface of the side rail and the two brackets are placed so thatthe edge 32 of the flanges23 are usually bent so that they occupy anangle of slightly less than 90 degrees with the web 22.

It should be noted that the Web 22 is disposed at right angles to theplanes of the rail 11 and the step 12, thereby furnishing the maximumstrength in support of the step.

The braces may usually both be made of the same shape and size, thusbeing made what is termed in lefts and rights. As the lower ends of bothof the braces are joined to the same bolt 30, a double triangular braceeffect is given to the step. In this case one of the triangles may beconsidered as formed by the bolts 17 having the upper portion 29 of theweb caught thereover an d such triangle being bounded by the edge 25 andthe flange 23.

Such triangle may be viewed in elevation in Fig. 3, the other triangleis viewed in Fig. 2 in which the upper ends of the braces are spacedapart by the two tension bolts 17 and the bolts 15 and these braces cometo a common supporting bolt at the bottom. It will therefore be seenthat the latter form of my `construction b as connecting parts which maybe light weight and which give a strong support. It is obvious that thebraces and bolts may be placed so that the steps have variousinclinations relative to the side rails of the ladder.

Various changesmay be made in the principles of my invention withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof as set forth in the description,drawings and claims.

I claim:

1. In a stepladder having a side rail and a step, a triangular shapedbrace, an attaching means for fastening the upper end of the brace tothe step, a second attaching means for securing the lower end of thebrace to the rail, and a third fastening means connecting to the firstfastening means and attaching' saidmeans to the rail, the said thirdfastening means also holding the step and the upper end of the braceagainst the rail.

v 2. In a step ladder having a side rail and a step, a pair oftriangular shaped metal braces,

each having a lower end connected by a common fastening device to theside rail, bolts connecting the upper ends of each of the braces to thestep, a pair of fastening means connecting each of the bolts to the siderails, said latter fastening means holding the end of the step and theupper part of the braces in close engagement with the rail.

3. In a stepladder having a side rail and a step, a triangular shapedmetal brace having its lower end secured to the rail, a bolt attachingthe upper end of the brace to the step, and a second boltinterconnecting the first bolt and the rail, the said second bolt actingto hold the end of the step and the upper part of the brace in closecontact with the rail.

1. In a stepladder having a side rail and a step, a pair oftriangular-shaped metal braces, each having a lower end attached to therail, a bolt securing the outer part of each brace to the under side ofthe step, a second pair of bolts connecting the first mentioned boltsand the side rail adapted to clamp the step and the upper part of thebrace in contact with the rail.

5. In a stepladder having a side rail and a step, a triangularshapedsheet metal brace with a flange, means securing the lower end of theflange to the side rail, an attaching means securing the upper end ofthe flange to the underside of the step, and a bolt attaching the secondfastening means to the side rail.

6. In a stepladder having a side rail and a step, a sheet metal bracewith a triangularshaped web and a flange at the outer part, means forattaching the lower and upper edges of the flange to the side rail andthe underside of the step respectively, a bolt interconnecting thefastening at the upper part of the flange and the rail, and operating tohold the end of the step and the upper portion of the brace inengagement with the "9 rail.

7. In a ladder having a side rail and a step, a sheet metal brace havinga triangularshaped web and a flange at right angles thereto, attachingmeans for securing the lower end of the flange to the rail, a secondattaching means for fastening the upper end of the flange to theunderside of the step, a bolt engaging the second fastening means andbeing connected to the side rail, the web having an extension passingover the said bolt, the bolt being adapted to hold the end of the stepand the upper portion of the brace in close engagement with the rail.

8. In a ladder as claimed in claim 7, the

step having a plurality of braces, the lower ends of each brace beingconnected to the side rail by a bolt, the upper portions of the bracebeing spaced apart and each having a bolt y securing same to the rail.

9. In a stepladder having a side rail and a step, a metal plate havingthe shape of a triangle and disposed at right angles to the plane of therail and having two of its sides fit flush against the rail and the steprespecplane of the rail and the step respectively and having two of itssides lit flush against the rail and the step respectively, and means totasten said plate to said rail and said step.

11. In a stepladder having a side rail and a step, a triangularshapedbrace disposed at right angles tothe plane of the rail and the steprespectively'and having two of its sides fit iush against the rail andthe step respectively, means for fastening the bottom angle of the bracet0 the rail, a second means for'fastening the inner angle of the braceto the step, and a third fastening'means engaging the second fasteningmeans connected to the rail.

12. In a stepladder having a side rail and a step, a triangular shapedbrace disposed at right angles to the plane of the rail and the steprespectively, and having two of its sides it flush against the rail andthe step respectively, the free side of said triangular brace beingprovided with a flange at substantially right angles to the body of thebrace, and means to fasten said brace to said rail and said step.

13. In a stepladder having a side rail and a step, a metal plate havingthe shape of a triangle and having two of its sides it flush against therail and the step respectively, and means to fasten said plat-e to saidrail and said step.

In testimony whereof I have `signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT J. TINGLEAF.

